Translation and psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Leeds Attitudes to Concordance II scale

Background Concordance is characterised as a negotiation-like health communication approach based on an equal and collaborative partnership between patients and health professionals. The Leeds Attitudes to Concordance II (LATCon II) scale was developed to measure the attitudes towards concordance. The purpose of this study was to translate the LATCon II into Chinese and psychometrically test the Chinese version of LATCon II (C-LATCon II). Methods The study involved three phases: i) translation and cross-cultural adaptation; ii) pilot study, and; iii) a cross-sectional survey (n = 366). Systematic random sampling was used to recruit hypertensive patients from nine communities covering around 78,000 residents in China. Tests of psychometric properties included content validity, construct validity, criteria-related validity (correlation between the C-LATCon II and the Therapeutic Adherence Scale for Hypertensive Patients (TASHP)), internal reliability, and test-retest reliability (n = 30). Results The study found that the C-LATCon II had a satisfactory content validity (item-level Content Validity Index (CVI) = 0.83-1, scale-level CVI/universal agreement = 0.89, and scale-level CVI/averaging calculation = 0.98), construct validity (four components extracted explained 56.66% of the total variance), internal reliability (Cronbach’s alpha of overall scale and four components was 0.78 and 0.66-0.84, respectively), and test-retest reliability (Pearson’s correlation coefficient = 0.82, p < 0.001; interclass correlation coefficient = 0.82, p < 0.001; linear weighted kappa3 statistic for each item = 0.40-0.65, p < 0.05). Criteria-related validity showed a weak association (Pearson’s correlation coefficient = 0.11, p < 0.05) between patients’ attitudes towards concordance during health communication and their health behaviours for hypertension management. Conclusions The C-LATCon II is a validated and reliable instrument which can be used to evaluate the attitudes to concordance in Chinese populations. Four components (health professionals’ attitudes, partnership between two parties, therapeutic decision making, and patients’ involvement) describe the attitudes towards concordance during health communication.

Career Adapt-Abilities Scale—Iran Form: Psychometric properties and relationships with career satisfaction and entrepreneurial intentions

This study examined the psychometric properties of a Persian translation of the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale (CAAS—Iran Form) and its relationships with career satisfaction, business opportunity identification, and entrepreneurial intentions. It was hypothesized that career adaptability relates positively to these three outcomes, even when controlling for demographic and employment characteristics. Data were provided by 204 workers from Iran. Results showed that the overall CAAS score and sub-dimension scores (concern, control, curiosity, and confidence) were highly reliable. Moreover, confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the CAAS—Iran Form measures four distinct dimensions that can be combined into a higher-order career adaptability factor. Findings also demonstrated criterion-related validity of the scale with regard to career satisfaction and entrepreneurial intentions. In contrast, overall career adaptability was not significantly related to opportunity identification, while concern related positively, and control related negatively to opportunity identification. Overall, the CAAS—Iran Form has very good psychometric properties and predicts important career outcomes, suggesting that it can be used for career counseling and future research with Persian-speaking workers.

Psychometric properties of the DCDDaily-Q: A new parental questionnaire on children's performance in activities of daily living

Difficulties in the performance of activities of daily living (ADL) are a key feature of developmental coordination disorder (DCD). The DCDDaily-Q was developed to address children's motor performance in a comprehensive range ADL. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of this parental questionnaire. Parents of 218 five to eight year-old children (DCD group: N=25; reference group: N=193) completed the research version of the new DCDDaily-Q and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC2) Checklist and Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ). Children were assessed with the MABC2 and DCDDaily. Item reduction analyses were performed and reliability (internal consistency and factor structure) and concurrent, discriminant, and incremental validity of the DCDDaily-Q were investigated. The final version of the DCDDaily-Q comprises 23 items that cover three underlying factors and shows good internal consistency (Cronbach's α>.80). Moderate correlations were found between the DCDDaily-Q and the other instruments used (p<.001 for the reference group; p>.05 for the DCD group). Discriminant validity of the DCDDaily-Q was good for DCDDaily-Q total scores (p<.001) and all 23 item scores (p<.01), indicating poorer performance in the DCD group. Sensitivity (88%) and specificity (92%) were good. The DCDDaily-Q better predicted DCD than currently used questionnaires (R2=.88). In conclusion, the DCDDaily-Q is a valid and reliable questionnaire to address children's ADL performance.

Development and psychometric properties of the DCDDaily: a new test for clinical assessment of capacity in activities of daily living in children with developmental coordination disorder

Objective To develop the DCDDaily, an instrument for objective and standardized clinical assessment of capacity in activities of daily living (ADL) in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD), and to investigate its usability, reliability, and validity. Subjects Five to eight-year-old children with and without DCD. Main measures The DCDDaily was developed based on thorough review of the literature and extensive expert involvement. To investigate the usability (assessment time and feasibility), reliability (internal consistency and repeatability), and validity (concurrent and discriminant validity) of the DCDDaily, children were assessed with the DCDDaily and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 Test, and their parents filled in the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 Checklist and Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire. Results 459 children were assessed (DCD group, n = 55; normative reference group, n = 404). Assessment was possible within 30 minutes and in any clinical setting. For internal consistency, Cronbach’s α = 0.83. Intraclass correlation = 0.87 for test–retest reliability and 0.89 for inter-rater reliability. Concurrent correlations with Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 Test and questionnaires were ρ = −0.494, 0.239, and −0.284, p < 0.001. Discriminant validity measures showed significantly worse performance in the DCD group than in the control group (mean (SD) score 33 (5.6) versus 26 (4.3), p < 0.001). The area under curve characteristic = 0.872, sensitivity and specificity were 80%. Conclusions The DCDDaily is a valid and reliable instrument for clinical assessment of capacity in ADL, that is feasible for use in clinical practice.

The psychometric properties of the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) in a general population sample of adolescents

The 6-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6; Kessler et al., 2002) is a screener for psychological distress that has robust psychometric properties among adults. Given that a significant proportion of adolescents experience mental illness, there is a need for measures that accurately and reliably screen for mental disorders in this age group. This study examined the psychometric properties of the K6 in a large general population sample of adolescents (N = 4,434; mean age = 13.5 years; 44.6% male). Factor analyses were conducted to examine the dimensionality of the K6 in adolescents and to investigate sex-based measurement invariance. This study also evaluated the K6 as a predictor of scores on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ; Goodman, 1997). The K6 demonstrated high levels of internal consistency, with the 6 items loading primarily on 1 factor. Consistent with previous research, females reported higher mean levels of psychological distress when compared with males. The identification of sex-based measurement noninvariance in the item thresholds indicated that these mean differences most likely represented reporting bias in the K6 items rather than true differences in the underlying psychological distress construct. The K6 was a fair to good predictor of abnormal scores on the SDQ, but predictive utility was relatively low among males. Future research needs to focus on refining and augmenting the K6 scale to maximize its utility in adolescents. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved)

The development and psychometric properties of the HIV and Abuse Related Shame Inventory (HARSI).

Shame has been shown to predict sexual HIV transmission risk behavior, medication non-adherence, symptomatic HIV or AIDS, and symptoms of depression and PTSD. However, there remains a dearth of tools to measure the specific constructs of HIV-related and sexual abuse-related shame. To ameliorate this gap, we present a 31-item measure that assesses HIV and sexual abuse-related shame, and the impact of shame on HIV-related health behaviors. A diverse sample of 271 HIV-positive men and women who were sexually abused as children completed the HIV and Abuse Related Shame Inventory (HARSI) among other measures. An exploratory factor analysis supported the retention of three-factors, explaining 56.7% of the sample variance. These internally consistent factors showed good test-retest reliability, and sound convergent and divergent validity using eight well-established HIV specific and general psychosocial criterion measures. Unlike stigma or discrimination, shame is potentially alterable through individually-focused interventions, making the measurement of shame clinically meaningful.

Use of the Child Health Questionnaire in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review and Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties

Objective: To review the psychometric performance of the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) in samples ofchildren with cerebral palsy (CP).

Method: Four search terms were applied to five databases in a search forpapers published between 1993 and January 2007.

Results: A total of 13 papers were identified, providingdata on 1229 unique children aged 2–18 years old. Three studies reported on the reliability of the CHQ(internal consistency), whilst six studies provided evidence on various dimensions of validity (concurrent;discriminant and item discriminant validity).

Conclusions: This review identified a number ofpsychometric issues that need to be addressed. These include the assessment of additional types of reliability;an examination of the factor structure of the CHQ within the CP population; and the development ofnormative data using substantial representative samples, particularly in Europe. Until these issues areaddressed, researchers utilizing the CHQ in children with CP should be cautious about its interpretation.

Identifying early signs of aggression: psychometric properties of the cardiff infant contentiousness scale

Our aim was to develop an age-appropriate measure of early manifestations of aggression. We constructed a questionnaire about normative developmental milestones into which a set of items measuring infants’ use of physical force against people and expressed anger were included. These items comprise the Cardiff Infant Contentiousness Scale (CICS). Evidence for the reliability and validity of the CICS is provided from analyses of a sample of N5310 British infants, assessed at a mean age of 6 months as part of a larger longitudinal study of the development of aggression. The informants’ CICS ratings demonstrated reasonable levels of internal consistency and interrater agreement. Informants’ ratings were validated by observations of infants’ distress in response to restraint in a car seat. Longitudinal analyses revealed that contentiousness was stable over time and that contentiousness at 6 months predicted infants’ later use of force with peers. When used in the company of other methods, the simple four-item CICS scale could serve as a useful screen for early manifestations of aggressiveness in human infants.

Measuring the psychosocial characteristics of family caregivers of palliative care patients:psychometric properties of nine self-report instruments

Researchers and clinicians have experienced substantial difficulties locating measures that are suitable for use within palliative care settings. This article details the psychometric properties of nine instruments designed to assess the following psychosocial characteristics of family caregivers: competence, mastery, self-efficacy, burden, optimism, preparedness, social support, rewards, and mutuality. Results are based on the responses of 106 primary family caregivers caring for relatives dying of cancer. Principal components extraction with varimax rotation was used to explore the underlying structure of each measure. Following the exclusion of complex variables, suggested components for most measures comprised relatively homogenous items, which were good to excellent measures of each component. Some components comprised only two items; however, Cronbach's alphas typically indicated moderate to high levels of internal consistency. Overall, the results of this study suggest that most of the measures analyzed, excepting the mastery and mutuality scales, can be recommended to examine the family caregiver experience and test supportive interventions.

Abstract: Psychometric properties of two self-report clinical competence scales for nursing students.

Abstract: Psychometric properties of two self-report clinical competence scales for nursing students.
Background: It is important to assess the clinical competence of nursing students to gauge their professional development and educational needs. This can be measured by self-assessment tools. Anema and McCoy (2010) contended that the currently available measures need further psychometric testing.
Aim: To test the psychometric properties of Nursing Competencies Questionnaire (NCQ) and Self-Efficacy in Clinical Performance (SECP) clinical competence scales.

Method: A non-randomly selected sample of n=248 2nd year nursing students completed NCQ, SECP and demographic questionnaires (June and September 2013). Mokken Scaling Analysis (MSA) was used to test the structural validity and scale properties, convergent and discriminant validity and reliability were subsequently tested.

Results: The NCQ provided evidence of a unidimensional scale which had strong scale scalability coefficients Hs =0.581; but limited evidence of item rankability HT =0.367. MSA undertaken with the SECP scale identified two potential unidimensional scales the SECP28 and SECP7, each with adequate evidence of good/reasonable scalablity psychometric properties as a summed scale but no/very limited evidence of scale rankability (SECP28: Hs = 0.55, HT=0.211; SECP7: Hs = 0.61, HT=0.049). Analysis of between cohort differences and NCQ/ SECP scale scores produced evidence of convergent and discriminant validity and good internal reliability: NCQ α = 0.93, SECP28 α = 0.96, and SECP7 α=0.89.

Discussion: The NCQ was verified to have evidence of reliability and validity; however, as the SECP findings are new, and the sample small, with reference to Straat and colleagues (2014), the SECP results should be interpreted with caution and verified on a second sample.

Conclusions: Measurement of perceived self-competence could inform the development of nursing competence and could start early in a nursing programme. Further testing of the NCQ and SECP scales with larger samples and from different years is indicated.


References:
Anema, M., G and McCoy, JK. (2010) Competency-Based Nursing Education: Guide to Achieving Outstanding Learner Outcomes. New York: Springer.
Straat, JH., van der Ark, LA and Sijtsma, K. (2014) Minimum Sample Size Requirements for Mokken Scale Analysis Educational and Psychological Measurement 74 (5), 809-822.

Psychometric properties of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale in eight African countries and Switzerland

The purpose of this study was to assess the cross-cultural validity of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability scale short form C, in a large sample of French-speaking participants from eight African countries and Switzerland. Exploratory and confirmatory analyses suggested retaining a two-factor structure. Item bias detection according to country was conducted for all 13 items and effect was calculated with R2. For the two-factor solution, 9 items were associated with a negligible effect size, 3 items with a moderate one, and 1 item with a large one. A series of analyses of covariance considering the acquiescence variable as a covariate showed that the acquiescence tendency does not contribute to the bias at item level. This research indicates that the psychometric properties of this instrument do not reach a scalar equivalence but that a culturally reliable measurement of social desirability could be developed.

The psychometric properties of the WAI in a career counseling setting: Comparison with a personal counseling sample

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Working Alliance Inventory-Client version (WAI-C) and Working Alliance Inventory-Short and revised (WAI-SR) in a career counseling setting. Moreover, it compared the impact of career versus personal counseling settings based on results obtained using the WAI-SR. Subjects were 188 French-speaking career counseling clients and 95 French-speaking personal counseling clients, mainly students. For the career counseling sample, total reliability was .87 for the WAI-C and .76 for the WAI-SR. The shape of the distribution was normal but the variance was significantly lower for the career counseling sample. Exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) confirmed the presence of an overall working alliance factor but indicated a clearer hierarchical structure for the WAI- SR than for the WAI-C. The psychometric properties seemed only slightly affected by the counseling setting, suggesting that this inventory is also relevant for career counseling, especially the WAI-SR, which has a more robust factorial structure.

Assessing the psychometric properties of dream content questionnaires

The present study was the first of its kind to systematically explore the psychometric properties of dream content questionnaires as measures of dream experience. One hundred and six University students filled out the Dream Content Questionnaire (DCQ) and kept a 14-day dream diary on two separate occasions, in addition to filling out the NEO-PI-R and Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire and measures of spatial ability and imaginativeness. The DCQ's reliability was acceptable, as was its discriminant and construct validity. Six of eight predicted relationships between trait personality and DCQ reported dream content were significant. In contrast, dream diaries showed instability over time and were unrelated to personality traits. The DCQ's concurrent validity could not be adequately appraised due to the inconsistency in dream diary content over time. The results suggest that questionnaires may be used to measure dream experience; however, the precise utility of dream questionnaires remains unclear. The findings raise important questions concerning measures of dream experience.